Orphans and Vulnerable Children - CRIN

For this activity you will need:

 Flipchart and markers

 Copies of Handout 1

To facilitate this activity:

1 Start this activity by explaining to the group that life skills are an important part of a child’s

psychological and emotional development. As such, these skills may often only become evident

through a child’s behaviour. For example, a child with low self-esteem may not necessarily

be a shy, withdrawn child; it could also be an aggressive child who bullies others. Self-esteem

in a child means a quality of self-respect and self confidence, rather than a display of extrovert

behaviour.

2 Divide the participants into three groups. Each group should be assigned one of the following

topics:

• Skills necessary to have a good relationship with yourself


• Skills necessary to have good relationships with others


• Skills necessary for making good decisions.

3 Ask each group to brainstorm the life skills in their category. Bring the groups together in plenary

and get each group to present their ideas. Write their responses on flipchart paper, adding to

and clarifying their inputs by using the facilitator’s notes. Encourage participants to give examples

of the life skills they identified and discuss these with the group.

4 If time permits, ask for volunteers to act out some of the life skills. Each volunteer should act

out the life skill twice – once showing a person with poor life skills, and once showing a person

with good life skills. For example, a volunteer could role-play a child with good self-esteem and

then a child displaying poor self-esteem.

5 Hand out the copies of Handout 1 to the group.

1 hour

(^264) Unit 2, Module 4 Guide to Mobilising and Strengthening Community-Led Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children